Thomas Smith/Mary Knapp- YDNA conflict with James Smith-Maine
Two different YDNA groups. One, representing Thomas Smith/Mary Knapp of Watertown, Massachusetts, the other James Smith b 1637 d 1687 Kittery, York County, Maine. According to the Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the early settlers of Watertown Massachusetts, Thomas Smith, supposed to be son of John Sen and Isabella, had son James b 18 Sep 1637, wife Hannah, with sons James, Samuel, Hannah, John, Sarah, Joseph, Benjamin and David.  There are some testers, including one YDNA tester for this line which is haplogroup I-M253. 
Another male Smith YDNA tester, in haplogroup, R-M269, believes James Smith b 1637 d 1687 Kittery, York County, Maine, to be son of the above Thomas Smith and written up in York Main Deeds Book 1 preface p 40. Here is the chain of evidence he presents. 

Chain of Evidence for James (Jacques) Smith being son of Thomas Smith m Mary Knapp by Mark Smith
Evidence chain for father and son: Thomas Smith, carpenter,  b. abt. 1601 (England?) d. 1693 Watertown, Middlesex Mass.  m. Mary Knapp before 1637 (1636?) in Watertown, Middlesex Mass. Eldest child James Smith 1, blacksmith, b. 1637 Watertown, Middlesex Mass. d. 10 Aug. 1687 Berwick, York Maine. (previously called Piscataqua Plantation in the original Mass. patent of Governor Gorges Nov. 3 1631 - [York, Maine Deeds Book 1 Preface pg. 40. Piscataqua Plantation becomes Kittery in 1647- same book Pg. 16])  (Middlesex deed12:54-5 and Torrey's New England Marriages pg. 1407) Mary daughter of William and Judith (Tue) Knapp.

* (Also see "Region of the Piscataqua Settlements map" found in the source "Piscataqua Pioneers 1623-1775 Register of Members and ancestors by John Scales, A. M., Editor Dover, N. H., May 1919.)

1) The 1693 Will of Thomas Smith of Watertown, Mass. refers to the location of "pascattaqua." "I give and bequeath to my grandchild James Smith of pascattaqua 40 shillings..." This location is key and of paramount importance to establish the relationship between Thomas, James 1 (his son) and James 2 (his grandchild.) I have established, as referenced in the first paragraph of this letter, that "pasacattaqua" is the Piscataqua Plantation and became Kittery in 1647.

 2) The James Smith Will of 1687 states, "The last Will and Testament of James Smith of Barwick, in the Parish of Barwick, in the Township of Kittery in the Province of Maine in New England..." is originally known as the Piscataqua Plantation in the original patent of 1631 and encompassed the whole Piscataquis River Basin extending into New Hampshire. There is no other location in the whole Mass. charter referred to as "pascattaqua." Therefore, the relationship of father, son and grandson has been established; but supporting evidence is required. Where in Piscataqua did James and his son James live exactly in Berwick/Kittery?

3) James Smith, in his will, left his son John about 40 acres.  "... and twelve acres of land more lying on the Eastward Side of Nechowannick [Newichawannock] River." This river is at the head of the Salmon Falls. Referring to the attached Map of Berwick 1631-1700 (Old Kittery and Her Families By Everett S. Stackpole Lewinston, Maine 1903) you can see James Smith located at Salmon Falls along the Newichawannock (now called Piscataquis) River. Compare the Berwick Map 1631-1700 along side the Region of the Piscataqua Settlements Map (mentioned above)  and the location becomes very clear.

4) Also in the Will of James Smith 1687: "I doe give and bequeath unto me eldest son James, my now dwelling house out houses, and all the land I bought of William Piles, (excepting four acres of land given to my couzen Peter Knap.)"... [See 1668 deed between Richard Tozier, William Pyles and James Smith.] Source: York, Maine Deeds Book 2 Folio 40. There was a boundary dispute that was settled and names the separate landmarks. 

5) In the 1703 Deed between James Smith 2, "late of Kittery now of York", and Joseph Pray, James sold 136 acres "in ye Township of Kittery aboves on Salmon Falls (so called) bounded Northwestardly by land of Richard Tosier"... (York, Maine Deeds Book 7, Folio 16) Look to the Map of Berwick 1631-1700. Smith, Pray and Tozier lands all bounded each other and specifically locates James 2 at Salmon Falls. This is the same land James 2 inherited from his father in his will of 1687. (Also noted in the will, the 1668 deed James 1 bought land from William Pyles)

6) James Smith 1 Will is witnessed by George Broughton. James names his cousin Peter Knap and wills him 4 acres, as mentioned previously. In York, Maine deeds Book 6, Folio 31, there is a deed between Benjamin and Joseph Bernard "of Barwick in the Township of Kittery" for 50 acres of land "bounded on the south with the land of Richard Tozier." This deed is witnessed by George Broughton and Peter Knapp.

7) In York Maine Deeds, Folio 96 is a deed between Roger Plaistead and George and John Broughton (brothers) for land at Salmon Falls. Actually they owned a couple hundred acres of land at Salmon falls with their mill. In the Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire: Portland, Maine: The Southward Press 1928 pg.113, mentions that they had a hard time with their milling business because of the Indian wars. And "Elizabeth Broughton b. 15 Jan. 1646 Watertown, [Middlesex Mass. daughter of Thomas Broughton] (Did Thomas Smith and Thomas Broughton know each other in Watertown, Mass.?) m. "Obadiah Reed, who in 1720 deeded her Kittery grant of 1671. List 298) 

8) Lines 6 and 7 are important because it shows that George Broughton knew Peter Knapp. (Or at least of him.) Also to place George Broughton in the same exact area as James Smith as neighbors-friends. Line 7 also establishes the possibility that the Smith's may have known the Broughton's in Watertown, Mass. and Elizabeth (Broughton) Reed lived in Kittery as well. All this is important to establish the relationship with James younger brother Zachariah. And James 1 cousin Peter Knapp is probably connected to James 1 mother Mary (Knapp) Smith, although I have no evidence at this time.

9) In The Ancestry of Eva Belle Kempton 1878-1908 The Ancestry of Warren Francis Kempton 1817-1879 by Dean Crawford Smith New England Genealogical/Historical Society, lays out the case for Zachariah Smith on pgs. 428-429 in detail, as well as the genealogy of Thomas Smith of Watertown, Mass.. Zachariah b. abt. 1649, went to work for George and John Broughton in 1670 at Piscataqua. Tragically, he was killed by Indians in 1672, while he was working for the Broughton brothers. (Middlesex Files 1672) (The Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire pg. 648) It seems that Zachariah had a child out of wedlock in 1671, before he went east to work. It was a very complicated case and George Broughton did testify on Zach's behalf.

What is needed are some additional testers for known male Smith descendants of Thomas Smith of Watertown, with a clear descent line, to do YDNA testing, as well as additional male Smith YDNA testers for James Smith m Martha Mills of York County, Maine.  December 17, 2020

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